US utilities' sales of green power increases 30% in 2003

Seattle (Platts)--5Mar2004

The number of US utilities offering renewable energy to their customers continued to increase in 2003 when more than 1.2 bil kWh of green power was sold, a 30% increase over the level reported in 2002, the Dept of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory said.

The Golden, Colorado-based lab said that based on sales, Austin Energy, the Austin, Texas, municipal utility, was at the top of the list, followed by Enron unit Portland General Electric in Oregon. Others in the top 10 were Sacramento Municipal Utility District, PacifiCorp, Xcel Energy, the Los Angeles Dept of Water and Power, the Tennessee Valley Authority, WeEnergies, Alliant Energy and Puget Sound Energy.

Utility green pricing programs are one segment of a larger green power marketing industry that serves nearly 500,000 customers nationwide and helps support about 1,500 MW of renewable generating capacity, the report, issued Thursday, said.